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Morning Briefing 10/23/2017

Good Monday morning!

Here are the top headlines to start your morning:

North Korea Has Been Making Bank By Doing Business In Africa

You’ve probably read the news and heard about all the new sanctions that the United Nations has voted to impose on the rogue regime. But at one point or another you’ve probably asked yourself: How is North Korea surviving economically?

“Griffiths says tens of millions of dollars are being made by Mansudae in Africa. ‘North Koreans can make a little money go a long way,’ said Griffiths.”

North Korean firms have built everything from presidential palaces, to memorials in 19 African nations.

The United Nations says it is investigating ties between African nations and North Korea.

On top of that, it’s been reported that Russian smugglers have been supplying North Korea with petroleum and other goods.

Had Enough Russia Stories Yet?

Jonathan Solomon and Alison Spann of The Hill reported on Sunday that Russia made an extensive effort to gain access to Hillary Clinton while she was Secretary of State.

According to the report, the FBI monitored individuals it suspected of spying for Russia who worked their way into the State Department.

The report also says FBI agents were “surprised” to see that a Kremlin-linked bank wrote a $500,000 check to former President Bill Clinton for one speech — just weeks after then-Secretary of State Hillary Clinton helped arrange the travel of American executives to Moscow to help start up a Russian version of Silicon Valley:

“Agents were surprised by the timing and size of a $500,000 check that a Kremlin-linked bank provided Bill Clinton with for a single speech in the summer of 2010. The payday came just weeks after Hillary Clinton helped arrange for American executives to travel to Moscow to support Putin’s efforts to build his own country’s version of Silicon Valley, agents said.”

The Hill notes that there are no public records that suggest the FBI did not believe there was any evidence of wrong doing.

McConnell V. Bannon

Appearing on “Fox News Sunday,” Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell told Fox News’ Dana Parino that former White House strategist Steve Bannon and his allies are “specialists at nominating people who lose.”:

“The kind of people who are supported by the element that you’ve just been referring to are specialists in defeating Republican candidates in November. And that’s what this inter-party skirmish is about. Our goal is to nominate people in the primaries next year who can actually win, and the people who win will be the ones who enact the president’s agenda.”

Bannon has previously said he wants to find primary challengers for virtually every incumbent Senate Republican. A move that has drawn criticism from Republican strategists who say that money would be better spent trying to unseat incumbent Democratic senators in conservative states.

Another Morning … Another Nickname:

President Trump has crafted yet another nickname for a political foe. This time he’s bestowed that honor upon Florida Rep. Frederica Wilson.

In a Sunday morning tweet, Trump suggested that Rep. Wilson will help hurt the Democratic Party in upcoming elections:

Wacky Congresswoman Wilson is the gift that keeps on giving for the Republican Party, a disaster for Dems. You watch her in action & vote R!